Preview — The Fairy Doll
by Rumer Godden

The Fairy Doll

Fairy Doll has always been at the top of the Christmas tree, brilliant in her white beaded dress and little silver shoes (which Elizabeth is sure were sewn by fairy mice). Elizabeth is the smallest in the family. She is always getting into trouble and her brothers and sisters are forever leaving her out and ordering her around. She’s convinced she’s useless. Then Great-GraFairy Doll has always been at the top of the Christmas tree, brilliant in her white beaded dress and little silver shoes (which Elizabeth is sure were sewn by fairy mice). Elizabeth is the smallest in the family. She is always getting into trouble and her brothers and sisters are forever leaving her out and ordering her around. She’s convinced she’s useless. Then Great-Grandma gives Fairy Doll to Elizabeth—and it isn't even Christmas! From then on Elizabeth keeps hearing a little "Ting!" which seems to tell her what to do. Suddenly everything starts going right instead of wrong. Could Fairy Doll be magical?...more

was my favourite book as a young child (i'm still hoping for a copy to turn up at my work)

This book also captures the world of lonely child whose imagination helps her retreat into a world of make believe. I loved the world of dolls (or in this case a Christmas Fairy ornament) where a flower bud can make a doll's hat or a nasturtium leaf, a parasol.

Old fashioned, yes (and I particularly winced when Elizabeth's teacher called her stupid) but I adored and will always adore, RuSweetly charming.

was my favourite book as a young child (i'm still hoping for a copy to turn up at my work)

This book also captures the world of lonely child whose imagination helps her retreat into a world of make believe. I loved the world of dolls (or in this case a Christmas Fairy ornament) where a flower bud can make a doll's hat or a nasturtium leaf, a parasol.

Old fashioned, yes (and I particularly winced when Elizabeth's teacher called her stupid) but I adored and will always adore, Rumer Godden's books....more

Read through it quickly so can’t comment in depth on it. However, two particular themes impressed upon me: the importance of creativity and that people develop at different rates. The creativity that children seem to possess in limitless droves seems to gradually diminish as we learn more about what can happen and see everything else as impossible, impractical or inferior. It was nice seeing how it commended creativity over strict knowledge of possibility and prior experience. It also hit me howRead through it quickly so can’t comment in depth on it. However, two particular themes impressed upon me: the importance of creativity and that people develop at different rates. The creativity that children seem to possess in limitless droves seems to gradually diminish as we learn more about what can happen and see everything else as impossible, impractical or inferior. It was nice seeing how it commended creativity over strict knowledge of possibility and prior experience. It also hit me how the Fairy Doll could be analogous for someone hitting their stride developmentally. Elizabeth struggles with a number of developmental tasks early in the story but when she is given the Fairy Doll she suddenly has the capacity to do them. While the transition seems a bit unrealistically sudden, it is a children’s book. It does make you think about how pressure and stress can restrict ability and how people mock individuals who haven’t yet accomplished particular tasks, even though there are a myriad of reasons that might be behind it and even though never accomplishing those things still wouldn’t mean that the person is inferior. It also explores sibling rivalry and bullying. I wasn't too fond of the idea of tit-for-tat that popped up a few times, but children would probably find it amusing and fitting. Essentially, it's a cute story and I think that there are a number of things that children could think about and discuss with their parents after reading this book. ...more

Not quite as complex or dark as Rumer Godden's earlier The Doll's House, The Fairy Doll is nevertheless a winsome fairy-tale set in 1950s England. There's a Christmas tree ornament which may or may not have magical powers and a small, bullied girl who needs some self-confidence. What lifts this fable above the ordinary is Godden's ability to inhabit a child's point of view and most of all, her evocative writing, full of detail about Christmas traditions familiar to children at the time but now rNot quite as complex or dark as Rumer Godden's earlier The Doll's House, The Fairy Doll is nevertheless a winsome fairy-tale set in 1950s England. There's a Christmas tree ornament which may or may not have magical powers and a small, bullied girl who needs some self-confidence. What lifts this fable above the ordinary is Godden's ability to inhabit a child's point of view and most of all, her evocative writing, full of detail about Christmas traditions familiar to children at the time but now relegated to history- the "silvered nuts" and "transparent boxes of rose petals and violets and mimosa" that hang from the tree. Magical. ...more

My first Christmas book of the year, this is the story of a Christmas Fairy that a family places at the top of its tree every year. One year, Great Grandmother gives the fairy doll to Elizabeth, the youngest of the three children. Elizabeth is clumsy and slow, always teased by her older siblings, and even denigrated by her parents and teacher at times. The fairy doll becomes Elizabeth's friend and allows her to develop her creative talents, while giving her the confidence she needs to progress aMy first Christmas book of the year, this is the story of a Christmas Fairy that a family places at the top of its tree every year. One year, Great Grandmother gives the fairy doll to Elizabeth, the youngest of the three children. Elizabeth is clumsy and slow, always teased by her older siblings, and even denigrated by her parents and teacher at times. The fairy doll becomes Elizabeth's friend and allows her to develop her creative talents, while giving her the confidence she needs to progress at school and in life.Is there an element of magic? Or is it really that Elizabeth just needs to think there is to finally find her way? ...more

Slightly old-fashioned but very sweet and charming. I loved the glimpses into a child's imagination - sawdust as fairy sand and a shell for a bed. I also like how it's left to the reader to decide whether the Fairy Doll really was magical.

Not sure why this says it's from 2006. The Fairy Doll is a VERY old book. We're talking' 1940s. I had an original that was a library discard when I was little, and read it god knows how many times. Will investigate!